Democratic leaders, including Sen. Lois Wolk, make public push for water bond

SACRAMENTO &GT;&GT; Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders made a public push Tuesday for their latest water bond proposal a day ahead of scheduled votes in the Legislature.

The Democratic leaders touted support for their $7.2 billion proposal from representatives of the more than 20 business, agriculture and environmental groups with representatives seated around a table in the governor's office.

Absent were Republicans, whose support is necessary to replace the $11.1 billion water bond measure already on the November ballot.

"We're very close with a lot of compromise," Brown said. "This is a very balanced, integrated plan. It's not a grab bag."

The need for a water bond has been highlighted by the state's worst drought in a generation that is forcing farmers to fallow fields and local governments to mandate water restrictions.

Provisions in the latest bond proposal involving water recycling and groundwater cleanup could increase the availability of water during future droughts.

The bond also includes other water projects not directly related to supply such as ecosystem restoration and flood management.

Brown has been pushing for the less costly bond to minimize state debt. The latest proposal would authorize $7 billion in new borrowing and tap into $200 million in unused money for water contained in two previous ballot propositions.

"Today I am pleased to report we have reached agreement with the governor and legislative leaders to important amendments, resulting in a proposed bond that will be good for the Delta region and the entire state - one I can support," said Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis. "We fought hard to ensure that all projects conducted in the Delta by the Department of Fish and Wildlife will require coordination and consultation with the Delta counties or cities where the project is proposed. We fought hard to ensure this bond would be BDCP neutral and to ensure no funds will be used for the Delta Tunnels, including to pay for costs for their mitigation. We also won recognition and first time ever funding of $50 million for the Delta Conservancy, including their ability to fund important agriculture sustainability projects in the Delta. All told, it's a good deal for the Delta and Northern California."

GOP leaders say the Democrats' $7 billion version fails to provide enough money for new reservoirs. They are pushing for $500 million more in bond sales to provide funds they say are necessary for a reservoir in Colusa County and in the Sierra Nevada near Fresno.

"It does no good to only build half a dam," Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff said in a statement.

Some farmers, sport fishing groups and environmentalists in Northern California have criticized the Democrats' proposal as potentially enabling a tunnel project to divert water from the Sacramento River to Central Valley farmers and Southern California.

The bond language explicitly says the money cannot be used to pay for building the delta tunnels, which is favored by the governor, or addressing the environmental effects. Even so, opponents of the tunnel project, including Sierra Club California, point to provisions they say could fund projects associated with it.

Sierra Club director Kathryn Phillips said tunnel contractors "could game the system so they take more water out of the delta than is healthy."

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg rejected that contention, saying a bond that is neutral on the tunnels should not contain language preventing such a project in the future.

"People can be for or against the tunnels," Steinberg said. "All we are saying here is the bond should be separate from that debate."

Steinberg would not say what concessions Democrats are offering to secure Republican votes, but he said the Democratic proposal provides a significant investment in water storage.

Replacing the current water bond on the general election ballot requires two-thirds votes in both houses of the Legislature. Democrats have a supermajority in the Assembly, but they need Republican votes to reach that threshold in the state Senate.

The Legislature has until Wednesday to approve a new bond measure for the ballot.